Harvesting machine



Sept. 9, 1930. w. E. URscHEL HARVESTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet Sept. 9, 1930. w. E. uRscHEl.

HARVESTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Uf M Sept- 9., 1930. w. E. URscHEl. 1,775,149

HARVESTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ['/l n gl l By l Sept. 9, 1930. w. E. URscHEl. 1,775,149

HARVESTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 4, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR 70 BY Q M i ATT RNEY mai/awa@ Petented 'sept 9, 1930 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM E. URSCHEL, OE VALPARAISO, INDIANA nan'vns'rme ideama Application led December 4, 1926. Serial No. 152,540.

This invention `relates to harvesting machines, and more particularly to beet harvesters, although' it may be employed with equal advantage for other purposes.

It contemplates more especially the provision of a harvesting machine having means thereon to gradually velevate soilembedded crops to -effect the removal thereof and to sever the appendages therefrom'.

Harvesters of known construction havenot proven entirely satisfactory in that the crops generally are tenaciously held in the soil, so that an abrupt pull thereon usually results in a severance of the exposed appendages Without removal of the embedded portions.

vFurther, it is desirable to provide adjustment for the harvesting instrumentalities to 'enable a variance in the position thereof to effectively harvest crops without injury thereto as Well as to grasp them at the proper point, this being highly desirable, especially because their growth and ease of removal are variable factors.

. One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction and improve the operation of devices of the character mentioned.

Another object is to provide a means for imparting a gradual pull on soil embedded lcrops to effect their removal.

Still another object is to provide means for loosening the soil prior to removal of the crops therefrom.

A further object is to provide means for conveying the severed crops along a predel termined path having instrumentalities disposed therein to from.

A still further object is to provide remote controls for rendering the harvesting in` strumentalities adjustable to effectively harvest crops of varying character.

yOther objects vand advantages will appear from the followingdes'cription of an illustrated embodiment of the present invention.

severr the appendages therethe drawings Figure 1 is a. view in elevation of a machine embodying features of the present invention, cleaning rollers being shown schematically and without frame support and operating meaIlS Figure 2 is a plan View of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 illustrates a topping mechanism as viewed substantially from line III- III of Figure 1; y

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a chain construction used in connection with the pulling mechanism disclosed in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line V-V of Figure 4; 60 Figure 6 is a view in elevation of the pulllng instrumentalities disclosed in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a plan View of the mechanism shown in Figure 6 with parts thereof removed to clarify the showing;

Figure 8 is a detail View showing the auX- iliary 'topping mechanism disclosed in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a front vertical sectional View showingthe manner of supporting the`ele- 70 vator frames; y

Figure 10 is a detail showing the cleansing rolls at the rear of the machine, and one means for mounting and operating such rolls; and

Figure 11 is a schematic side view showing the crop elevators and the soil lifter manipulating a crop to remove it from the soil and to convey it to the rear of the machine to be dropped upon the cleansing rollers shown so in Figure 10.

The structure selected for illustration comprises a frame 10 preferably composed of structural steel members 11 and 12 which are maintained in parallel spaced relation by 85 means of cross members 13 bolted or otherwise secured at their extremities to the members 11 and 12 at spaced intervals therealong` The members 11 and 12 are bent or otherwise shaped at their forward extremities to de- 9o yui fine conver 'ng portions 14 and 15 to present a hound w erein a ton ue 16 is detachably secured in any ap ropriate manner, such as by the bolt 17, t e tongue 16 servingto harness any suitable means of locomotion thereto. :7

The frame 10 is elevated from the soil by means of a pair of wheels 1.8 journalled to suitable brackets 19 which are rotatably mounted in vertically disposed bearings 20 secured to the members' 11 and 12 in proximity to the forward end thereof whereby the wheels 18are capable of being turned 1n any direction for steerin pur oses. A pair of drive wheels 21 are eye or otherwise secured to a shaft 22 which is journalled in the frame 10, the latter being provided with suitable bearings 23 to permit rotation of the drive shaft 22. A plurality of cleats 24 of standard construction are secured to the periphery of the wheels 21 to increase the traction of the wheels which serve as a positive drive for the instrumentalities to be hereinafter described. I

Soil embedded crops such as beets have exposed portions 25 to enable their removal from the soil. To accomplish this end. the present invention contemplates the provision of pulling means comprising, in this instance, a carrier constituting a pair of endless conveyors. In the present embodiment the conlveyors consist of complemental arcuate sections bolted or otherwise secured together to define rigid members 26 which are provided therein with appropriate gears 27 at their extremities whereto endless chains 28 are geared, the chains being in mesh with the gears 27 to effect positive movement therebetween. A plurality of idler pinions 29 are journalled in the members 26, they being in mesh with the chains 28 so as to support the chains to define an arcuate path corresponding in shape to that of the members 26, the latter being yieldably suspended from the frame 10 so that the mouth of the conveyors y will be disposed near the ground at a point within the range of the exposed appendages 25 constituting a part of the soil embedded crops. l

To enable the exposed portions`25 of the crops to be effectively grasped, the article engaging surfaces of the chains 28 are provided with a flexible band 3() having a suba stantially rectangular cross-section, the band being` secured in a grooved portion 31 provided in the face of the chains 28 to define a raceway therein. Any suitable fasteners may be employed to secure the fiexible band to the chains 28,/the `fasteners in this instance comprising oppositely disposed rivets 32 carried by an auxiliary link 32 fiexibly connecting the links constituting the chains, the extremities of the rivets 32 projecting within the flexible band 30 to prevent removal thereof from 'the raceway 31. The

tension of the chains 28 `its controlled by means of-an arin 33 pvotally mounted as at 34 to the rigid member 26, the free end thereof havin a. non 35 iournalled therein to mesh wit tlie chain 28. The pinion 35 is urged outwardly in engagement with the chain 28 to increase the tension thereof owing to a resilient spring 36 which is held in position by means of a rod 37 axially disposed therein, one extremity of the sprin 36 impinging a ainst the arm 33 with t e other end thereo engaging a portion of the tubular member 26. The urge of the spring 36 automatically tensions the chain 28 and maintains the adjacent surfaces of the flexible bands 30 of each conveyor unit in frictional engagement to effect removal of the crops by engaging the ex osed portions thereo thereby being gradua ly elevated along the arcuate path defined by the conveyor to effect their removal from the soil. As shown, both conveyors26 are dis osed in a common plane in that they are similar in shape, structure, and contour to effect the desired purpose.

The yieldable suspension of the conveyors 26 is, in this instance, effected by means of a spiral spring 38 having one extremity thereof secured to a bell crank 39 which is supported on a suitable standard 40 resting on a cross member 13 constituting a part o f the frame 10, the standard 40 being fixed thereto by means of the brackets 41 of standard construction. The other end\ of the spring 38 is secured to a stud shaft 42, which, in this instance, is operatively connected to a foot pedal 43 through'appropriate linkage 44 and 45 having the extremities thereof pivoted to each other and to the shaft 42. A horizontally disposed arm 46 terminating in a vertically disposed portion 47 is integrally or otherwise secured to one of the members 26 near the lower end thereof, the arm 46 being provided with a bore 48 substantially along a median line thereof to receive the stud shaft 42 therethrough. The member 26 of the other conveyor unit is provided with an arm 49 having a bored extremity 5() to receive the stud shaft 42 adjacent to and in alignment with the bore 48 of the arm 46, thereby rendering the conveyor units 26 separable along a common axis, in this instance the shaft 42. A spiral spring 51 is interposed between confronting portions of the arms 46 and 49 which are provided with aligned apertures to receive a bolt 52 therethrough which retains the spring 51 in position to normally tend to spread the free extremities of the arms 46 and 49 whereby the conveyor units 26 are caused toresiliently engage each other. It is to be noted that the conveyors 26 are adjustably suspended owing to the foot pedals 43 whereby the mouth defined by the co-operating conveyors 26 may be laterally adjusted to bring it in alignment with the crops which are usually bers 26 to define a V-shaped throat which l increases the operating range of the machine.

The discharge end of the conveyor frames 26 are each provided with normally disposed housings 53 having a fianged extremit 54 therein. The housings '53 are holte or otherwise secured to the members 26 by means of the fasteners 55 in the usual manner, they being pivotally supported to a standard 54 suitably fixed to the frame 10. The other extremities of the housings 53 terminate in angularly disposed brackets 56 having shaft housings 57 dlsposed normally thereto to receive a drive shaft 58 therethrough, the drive shaft 58 being journalled in a suitable bearing fixed to the frame 10 in any suitable manner. A pair of stud shafts 59 project. through and are journalled -within vthe housings 53, they being secured to the gears 27, supra, through which they project to present exposed extremities 60. The other extremities of the shafts 59 are each provided with bevel gears 61 which `mesh with suitable bevel gears 62 secured to the normally disposed drive shafts 58, in this 1nstance two, one of Whichhas both extremities thereof provided with bevel gears 62 meshing with the bevel gears 61 to drive the shafts 59 at a uniform speed in opposed directions. It is to be understood that the shafts 59 are fixed to the gears 27 disposedin proximity to the discharge ends of the conveyor units to drive the conveyor chains 28 in the same direction at a uniform speed so as to prevent slipping between the contacting faces of the flexible bands 30 of each conveyor. The housings 53 are pivotally secured to each other as at 63 in much the same manner as are the forward ends of the conveyors 26, the brackets 56 on one of the housings 53 being provided with a projecting arm 64 having an apertured extremity 65 confronting a projection 66 formed integral with the other housing to receive a bolt 67 therebetween. A spiral spring 68 envelops the bolt 67 to impartan urge to the arm 64 in an effort to bring the discharge end of the conveyor units together, thereby rendering the conveyors separable along the contacting surfaces thereof to permit foreign substances to pass therethrough without injury thereto.

The exposed portions of the crops are sheared or otherwise severed from the body thereof, in this instance by means of a pair of oppositely dished circular cutters 69 fixed to the exposed extremities 60 of the shafts 59 which impart opposed rotation thereto, the cutters 69 being disposed in the path of the crops defined by the carrier mechanism hereinabove described.

To insure that all of the appendages projecting from the soil embedded articles are removed priorto their discharge from the machine, auxiliary severing means are provided. The auxiliary severing means in this instance comprise a pair of cylindrical rollers 70 preferably having a corrugated or otherwise roughened surfacethe rollers 70 being driven in opposed directions by means of intermeshing gears 71 fixed to shafts 72 projecting axially of the rollers 70. One of the shafts 72 is connected to a drive shaft 73 journalled in the frame l0, there being a universal lor flexible joint 74 interposed between the shafts 72 and 73 to enable the rollers 70 to be inclined to effect the discharge of the articles falling thereon, the rollers 70 being disposed below the discharge end of the conveyor units 26. The shaft 72 which has the flexible connection 74 thereon, is supported` in position by means of a bracket 75 which is secured to the frame 10 in any appropriate manner, the vother shaft 72 having a bracket 76 fixed to the extremity thereof whereby it is pivotally secured to the bracket 75 in any suitable manner as at 77. A compressible spring 78 is interposed between the frame l0 and the bracket 76 to normally urge the rollers 70 in substantialA engagement with each other to grasp an projections remaining on the body of the article which is too large to be drawn therethrough, thereby severing the projections therefrom. A pair of guides 79 comprising substantially rectangular members are associated with each of the rollers 7 0, they being inclined to each other to prevent the articles falling on the rollers 70 from being displaced therefrom otherthan the discharge or lower end thereof.

The instrumentalities described above are responsive to movement of the frame 10 occasioned by rotation of the drive wheels 21 which are'secured to the shaft 22 having a sprocket Wheel 80 keyed or otherwise fixed thereto. A chain 8l meshes with the teeth of the sprocket wheel 80 to drive a gear 82 fixed to a stud shaft 83 journalled in the frame 10. A chain 84 is geared to a sprocket Wheel 85 fixed to a stud shaft 86 which is operatively connected to the stud shaft 83 by means of suitable gearing 87. The chain'84 which meshes with the sprocket wheel 86 fixed to the shaft 58, supra, drives the conveying and topping instrumentalities 30 and 69, respectively, at the proper speeds. The auxiliary severing means constituting the rollers 70 are driven by means of a chain 88 operatively connected to the shaft 58 and to the shaft 81 by means of aligned sprocket wheels 89 and 90, respectively. Rollers 70 and the parts appurtenant thereto may be supported upon the frame in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by the transverse members shown intermediate the brackets 92 and 98 in Figure 10.

je'l

ated with the frame by means of'a depending braclret 92150 whichfit is secured as at 93. r,The free extremity 94 of the plow.

91 isprovided with a slot 95 to receive a stud v96 secured in the bell crank lever 97 which is pivoted to a depending bracket 98 secured A to the frame 10l in any appropriate manner such as by the bolts 99.

The positionof the plow 91 is remotelyT controlled, in 'this instance by a hand lever 100 of standard construction which is pivoted within suitable range to a quadrant 101 having teeth 102 on the arcuate portion thereof to enable adjustment of the lever by means of the thumb control 103 having the usual pawl 104 operatively connected thereto. A rod 105 is secured to the'lever 100 as at 106, the other end thereof being operative- 'ly connected to a bell crank 107 pivotally secured to the rear end of the frame 10 by means of apin 108 fixed in an .appropriate bracket 109 secured to the frame 10. The bell crank lever 107 has the other arm thereof operatively associated with the free arm of the bell crank lever 97 through. the medium of a rod 109 whereby movement of the lever 100 ,will vary the position of the low 91. which is eectiveto loosen the soil a out the cropsjust prior to their removal.

Another hand lever 110 likethe lever 100, is operatively associated with a quadrant 101 fixed tothe frame 10 to selectively impart movement. to rod 111 which is pivotally connected to an arm 112 of the'bell crank lever 39, supra, whereby the forward end of the carrier maybe elevated or lowered, it being resiliently suspended by virtue of the spring 38 ldescribed hereinabove. rllhis arrangement enables crops to be engaged at any selective point depending upon the'cha'racter of the crops or articles as well as the size thereof. A seat 113 is supported, in this instance, by a more or less flexible member1111 to the frame 10 sothat the operator or attendant may comfortably support himself thereon to enable the various remote controls.

to be selectively actuated to efectively harvest crops of almost any .character and growth.

With the arrangement of parts above described, it willbe apparent that a machine has been provided having pulling instrumentalities 80 thereon which are adapted to grasp the exposed appendagesv of soil embedded crops to gradually elevate them along a predetermined path to ellect removal thereof and to sever the appendages therefrom. The mouth of the pulling means, in this instance defined by the co-operating conveyor units, is guided in a line coinciding with the rectilinear path along which crops usually are positioned so that the contacting faces of the flexible bands 30 will yieldingly 'frame 10.

imams grasp' the exposed portionsQ of the article and carry t'hemalong an arcuate path having a gradual incline to slowly pull the cropsv ent thereon subsequent to their passage through the cutters 69. The rollers 70, constituting the auxiliary severing means, are adapted to carry any projections therebetween due to the frictional contact of the remove any appendages which may be presy rollers therewith; however, the -body of the article is too large to be drawn therethrough, which necessitates a rupture oi the projection from the body, whereafter the inclination of the rollers 70 willeliect the discharge of; the articles therefrom to any appropriate container which may be suspended from the Various changes may be made 4inthe embodiment of the invention herein specifically described without departing from or sacricing any of the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

l claim: A

1. A harvester forl underground crops, comprising a. wheeled trame, arcuately arranged complemental belts on said frame and adapted to withdraw and elevate the plants ot' said crops, and means on said frame `for severing the tops of said plants. 4

2. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a wheeled frame, arcuately arranged complemental belts on said frame and adapted to withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, and means for loosening the soil as the plants are emergingtherefrom.

3. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a wheeled frame, arcuatel arranged complemental belts on said rame and ada ted to withdraw and elevate the plants o said crops, means for loosenin the soil as the plants are emerging there rom, and means on 'said frame for severing the tops of said plants.

4. A harvester .for underground crops comprising a wheeled frame, complemental belts on said frame arranged to gradually withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, and means carried on said frame for loosening the soil as the plants are emerging therefrom. y

5. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a wheeled frame, complemental belts on said frame arranged to gradually withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, means carried on said frame for loosening the soil as the plants are emerging therefrom,

and other means on said frame for severing the tgps of said plants. n .u

6. harvester for underground crops,

comprising a whee ed frame, 'complemental belts on said frame, and adapted-to lWithdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, meanson said frame in the pathof said belts to sever .the plants from the crops, `and othermeans belts on said frame and adapted to Withdraw y and elevate the plants of said crops, said belts having sections substantially parallel to the ground and other sections angular thereto, and means on said framev forloosening t-he soil about said plants after vsaid complemental belts have engaged said plants, but anterior to any withdrawing and elevating action thereby.

8. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a Wheeled frame, complemental belts arranged on said frame to withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, cutting means on said frame in the path of said belts to sever the plants from the crops,- and other means adapted-to receive said crops when severed from said plants'and remove appendages and projections therefrom.

9. A harvester for underground crops,

' comprising a Wheeled frame, complemental belts arranged on said frame to withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, cutting means on said frame in the path of said belts to sever the plants from the crops, and means sol,

giving tothe crops a path of movement normal to the path of movement of said belts and for severing from said crops other ap pendages and projections.

10. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a wheeled frame, complemental belts arranged on said frame to withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, cutting means on said frame in the path of said belts to sever the plants from the crops, and means on said frame for discharging the crops at one side thereof.

11. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a wheeled frame, complemental belts arranged on said frame to withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, cutting means on said frame in the path of said belts to sever the plants from the crops, and means on said f1 ame for conjointly severing other appendages and projections from said cropsand discharging the cleaned crop at one side of said frame.

12. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a wheeled frame, varcuately arranged complemental belts on said frame to Withdraw and elevate the plants of said crops, and circular knives 011v said frame beneath each of said belts and having cutting edges projecting beyond the face of the adjacentv belt for severn the tops of the plants while being elevatedy said-belts.

13. A harvester for underground crops, comprising fa wheeled frame, arcutely arranged yieldable means disposed in the path of soil embedded plants to yieldably grip the tops thereof .to gradually elevate said plants to effect the removal thereof'from the soil, rotary cutters in the path of said plants to clip the tops therefrom, and means disposed below said cutters toremoveother appendages and projections from the under parts prior to their discharge from saldharvester. j

. 14. A harvesterfor underground plants,

comprising a Wheeled frame, complemental.

arcuately moving belts adapted to gradually remove soil embedded crops having exposed tops, and rotating knives having' a plane of revolution sharply angular to the ground for severing the tops from the crop subsequent to the removal of the'latter from the soil.

15. A harvester for underground crops, comprising a Wheeled frame, an arcuately arranged conveyor carried by said frame to effect the variable elevation of soil embedded crops, cooperating rotary cutters yassociated Withsaid conveyor to remove the topl p0rt-ions of said crops, and cooperating rolls disposed below said cuttersy to receive the soil embedded parts and remove additional appendages therefrom, said rolls being inclined to effect discharge of said parts from said frame.

16. A harvester for cropsv and having a frame, paired arcuate members o n said frame and providing opposed "complemental tracks, and plant grippingfmeans comprising a pair of `c'zooperating compressible endless conveyo'rs in 'said tracks. j

17. A harvester forv crops, comprisingthe combination ofl a Wheeled frame, k'paired lonsuspended from said frame, cooperating compressible endless beltsaida'pted to contact with ound eachother and extending about'thev periphery of saidarcuate 4members, and means 'responvsaid beltslin unison. 1 Y p v n 18,' yA yharvester yfor crops, comprlslng a vsive to the movement of saidvtrame'to drive wheeled frame, paired cooperating arcuately shaped conveyor'v sup'po'rts` carriedv thereby; f

and endless elastically faced continuous belts on said supports t'orjjnormally,"maintainingv portions of 'said' conveyors incotact with each other to constitutefcrlo'p*l engaging means. ,1g-'171A ,harvester for fc'rop'sf; 'c'onip'rismg a .wheledzframe' meeting. endless @letizia-' 1y 1 eed Conveyors; affames."resilient means areuately 'vfdisposeid normally' maintainning,`= 'portiii's'pf fsaidconve'yors 'in rh. therftleiiti tuteV plant engaging'means," and vlneans"for prising a wheeled frame, arcuately arrangedv complemental belts for withdrawing and elevatin a crop along a said belts having a su stantial section arranged substantially parallel to the ground, and soil loosening means for loosening the soil about plants after said plants have been engaged by to the ground.

22.4A harvester for crops, comprising a wheeled frame, arcuately arranged comple- 25 mental belts for withdrawing and elevating the sections of said belts parallel 27. A liarvestei" for crops comprising a pairof `arcuatesupports disposed 1n a common plane, ery o sa1d supports, drivin means 1n mesh with said'chalns, a resilient .and'on'each of said chains to constitute crop \enga ingsurfaces, and means in said supportsI or yieldably maintaining said engaglng surfaces in WILLIAM E. URSCHEL.

redetermined path,

endless chains about the periph-- a soil embedded crop' along a predetermined path, substantial sections of said belts being disposed parallel tol the ground, and soil loosening means for breaking the soil about the cro while said crop is engaged between the sectlon of said belts paralle and adjustably associated with said frame,

and means for adjusting said soil loosening y means toward and away from said belts.'

23. A harvester for crops, comprising a wheeled frame, a pair of endless conveyors carried thereby, said conveyors being piv` otally suspended to present crop engaging surfaces resilient means to normally maintain sai conveyors in o erative relation, and a remote control for se ectively varying the position of said conveyors.

24. A harvester for crops, comprising a wheeled frame, a pair of arcuately arranged conveyors carried thereby, said conveyors being pivotally suspended to present crop engaging surfaces, resilient means/1 to normally maintain said conveyors in operative relation, and a remotecontrol for selectively varyin the position of said conveyors.

25. harvester for,crops,f comprising a pair of endless chains disposed in a common plane, driving means in v imeshy with said chains, a resilient -band on each ofsaid chains constituting crop' engaging'. surfaces, and means for yieldinglymaintaining said engaging surfaces in contact.

26. A harvester for crops, comprising palred frames in a common plane, endless chains about said frames, driving means in mesh with said chains, a resilient band on each of said chains constituting crop engaglng surfaces, and means on said frames for yieldably maintaining said engaging surfaces 65 incontact.

to the ground 

